Checkout bagging counter



M. MERSKY CHECKOUT BAGGING COUNTER Oct. 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1958 INVENTOR.

MORRIS MEIRSKY Attorneys Oct. 20, 1959 M Y 2,909,020

CHECKOUT BAGGING COUNTER Filed June 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 21 I4 Io Fl 5 24 I i I 33 I l 35 38- 1 136: 361', i i 26 INVENTOR. I I I l MORRIS MERSKY V Q QQ m 27 J 25 28 Attorneys States Patent 2,909,020 CHECKOUT BAGGI-NG COUNTER Morris Mersky, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Almor Company, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 23, 1958,: Serial No. 743,775 1 Claim. (Cl. 53 -390) This invention relates to a checkout bagging counter and more particularly to the type of checkout counter used in super markets and the like for checking-out merchandise purchased by the customers.

In a conventional super market checkout counter, such as is shown in the patent to Foster, 2,569,711, issued October 2, 1951, merchandise is loaded by the customer on a conveyor belt at the loading end of the checkout counter and is conveyed to a cashier who tallies the price of the merchandise. Then the merchandise is conveyed by a discharge belt to a discharge deck at the rear end of the checkout counter. Here, a packaging boy usually places paper bags either directly upon the discharge deck or on a shelf near the loading deck and loads the merchandise into the paper bags for delivery to the customer.

In this type of construction, the number ofpaper bags that can be stored near the packaging boy is quite limited, and he frequently runs out of paper bags during the busy hours of the super market.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a paper bag storage means which can contain an enormously large quantity of paper bags suitable for handling the busy hours of a super market, and yet which is so arranged as not to obstruct the packaging boys reach of merchandise accumulating on the discharge deck of the counter.

Moreover, an object is to provide a bag storing means, and a bagging counter arranged rearwardly thereof, and formed so that the flow of merchandise from the loading end of the counter to the discharge end of the counter and into the paper bags is uninterrupted. Thus, the paper bags are removed from their storage compartments and placed upon the loading deck with one hand and with a simple quick motion, all in the direction of flow of merchandise, so that the packaging boy need not change his position at the rear of the counter.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of which the attached drawings form a part. With reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the checkout counter with the bagging counter means.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the counter.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section view taken in the direction of arrows 33 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of the bag storage area at the rear of the counter with the top deck removed.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section view of the end of the counter taken in the direction of arrows 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In Fig. l, a checkout counter is illustrated. This counter has a forward or loading end with a loading conveyor belt 11 upon which the customer places the merchandise. This belt carries the merchandise to a bridging plate 12 where the cashier of the market handles the merchandise to record the price thereof. The merchandise is then conveyed by a discharge belt 13 to the discharge deck 14 which is in the form of a large, flat sheet, made of plywood or sheet metal or plastic, The

. -EPatented'OctjZO,

direction of flow of the merchandi'seis shown by arrow Rearwardly of the counter is the bagging counter means 16. Thisconsists'of a bag' storage means in the form of a box 17 and a bagging deck means 18. v

' The bag storage-means will be described first (particularly see Figs. 3, 4, and 5); The box 17 is formed 'with an open top 20'whichis' arranged beneath the dis charge deck 14, with only a small rearward part 21 exposed. The box is divided'into several compartments,

such as three compartments, of predetermined size.

These compartments 24, 25 andZG-a're' formed by parti'tions '27 and 28 'Whi'ch'ex'teridfron'rtop to bottom of the box and from front to rear thereof. Each partition is of the size of a predetermined size fiat folded paper bag. A pile of paper bags is arranged in each one of these compartments, preferably with the rear ends or folded ends 30 of each bag B facing upward and rearwardly so that it can be reached at the open end of the box.

The pile is supported upon a flat lifter plate 35 which is guided upwards and downwards by means of vertical guide rods 36 passing through journals 37 connected to the lifter plates. Coil springs 38 resting against the bottom of the box and also against the bottom of the lifter plates 35, resiliently urge the lifter plate upwards so that the paper bags are always urged upwardly, with the top paper bag in firm, spring held, contact with the bottom of the deck 14.

The deck '14, acts as a cover for the box and prevents the bags from being misaligned or pulled out two at a time. Normally, when one bag is pulled out, the friction of the under side of the deck against the next bag holds that bag in place. The under side of the bagging deck is sufficiently rough to create the friction necessary against the paper bags to hold each successive paper bag in place when the top one is pulled out. Normally, the packaging boy uses one arm to pull out a bag and place the bottom of the bag on top of the deck 18 and shake the bag to open it up so that it may then be used for loading of merchandise.

Note, that the box is normally tilted, so that its rear end is lower than its forward end, and is supported by means of a support block 45 arranged inside the counter construction. Thus, the open top of the box is parallel to the sloped discharge deck.

The bagging deck 18 may be provided with additional bag storage compartments 46 beneath it to hold odd size bags, such as freezer bags, which are not used too often.

With this construction it can be seen that the flow of merchandise is uninterrupted from loading end to the discharge end, with the bag moving in the same direction, and the merchandise moving into the bag in the same direction and then out to the customer. Thus, the minimum of width is necessary for this counter so that several counters can be placed closely together. Moreover, the bagging arrangement does not interfere with the packaging boy who thus has sufficient room to collect the merchandise and place it into the bag.

This invention may be further developed Within the scope of the following attached claim. Accordingly, it'is desired that the foregoing description be read as being merely illustrative of an operative embodiment of this invention and not in a strictly limiting sence.

I now claim:

A bagging and checkout counter having a fiat deck terminating in a merchandise discharge end, a large open top box fitted directly beneath said flat deck with a small portion of the box extending beyond the rear of the discharge end to expose a small part of the open top of said box and the remainder of the open top of the box being covered by the flat deck, said box being longitudinally'partitioned 'into bag storage compartments by vertical walls extending. longitudinally from the top to the bottom of the box and from the box rear towards the end covered by said deck, a litter plate arranged in each box compartment in a substantially horizontal position and each plate arranged to move upwards and downward within its respectivecompartment and spring means urging the plates upwards, theindividual compartments each corresponding ill-width and length/to the size of a flat folded paper bag lying fiat. therein so that a pile of suchbags maybestored flat on top of the lifter plate in each compartment with 'the'fonward part of the top bag in the pile pressingagainst the bottom of the flat deck and with the bag bottoms folded and lying flat and extending rearwardly of the discharge end at the exposed part of the open top offthe box'so that the folded bottom of the top bag may be manually grasped and pulled t 4 s- 1 through the exposed top of said box with the flat deck frictionally holding the next successive, bag ontop of the pile; and a bagging counter in the form of a horizontal flat sheet in contact with and extending rearwardly of the box and positioned considerably below the top of the box and extending transversely across the box end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED I STATES PATENTS 1,581,099 

